China-linked app sparks major spyware fears in Taiwan

Taipei [Taiwan], May 8 (ANI): Taiwan's top security officials have warned that the Chinese navigation application AMap may pose a serious national security threat after an internal probe found that the app continues gathering and transmitting sensitive user information to servers in China, as reported by The Taipei Times.

According to The Taipei Times, National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen informed lawmakers during a session of the legislature's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee that investigators identified nine cybersecurity concerns out of 15 reviewed categories linked to the Chinese-developed app.

The investigation revealed that AMap allegedly keeps collecting personal data even after users shut down the application. The information gathered includes contact lists, call histories, live audio recordings, video feeds and location-related data, all of which are reportedly transmitted back to servers located in China.

Tsai warned lawmakers that although many international apps collect user information, AMap's policies are particularly alarming because the platform openly states in its user agreement that data may be shared with third parties.

He further stated that Chinese firms are legally bound under China's national security legislation to cooperate with state authorities and provide access to corporate and user information whenever requested. Tsai described the app as carrying "relatively high" cybersecurity and national security risks for Taiwan.

The bureau's report has been forwarded to Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs, which is conducting a separate review expected to conclude next month, as highlighted by The Taipei Times.

The intelligence chief clarified that the National Security Bureau would respect the ministry's authority regarding any public announcement or regulatory action connected to the case. Taiwan has already classified AMap as a cybersecurity risk under the Cybersecurity Management Act, resulting in a ban on the application's use across government agencies, as reported by The Taipei Times.

In a similar vein, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has said it will not remove the ban on domestic travel agencies promoting package group tours to China until the "personal freedom and travel safety" of Taiwanese travellers can be guaranteed amid criticism that followed a recent deadly bus crash in China, according to a report by Central News Agency (CNA). (ANI)

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